The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has ordered passport offices across the country to work on Saturdays to clear the backlog of passport applications.
This was made available in a statement by the Service Public Relations Officer, Mr Tony Akuneme in Abuja on Saturday.
Akuneme said that the Comptroller-General, Idris Isah Jere, who gave the directive also approved the deployment of Passport Controllers to Ondo and Ekiti states.
He said the directive was to enable the Service reduce the backlog occasioned by the 2020 and 2021 prolonged lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The C-G has directed that Passport offices across the country with a high volume of pending applications work on Saturdays.
“The period for this exercise is expected to be every Saturday commencing from Dec. 3, 2022, to Jan. 28, 2023, between the period of 10 am to 2 pm.
“This is to enhance our service delivery to our esteemed clients.
“The Saturdays preceding the Christmas and New Year holidays are exempted, ” he said.
The spokesman said passport offices that fall within this category should contact him by Monday for further details.
Akuneme reiterated the resolve of the C-G to make passport services available and stress-free to the travelling public, especially during the festive season.
